Rotary stencil-printing machine.



No. 764,275. PATENTBD JULY 5, 1904. A. BQDIGK.

ROTARY STENUIL PRINTlNG MACHINE.

APPLInA-xon FILED MAP.. 5. 1901.

No MODEL. 5 SHEETS-sum1.

Inventor MJ 6. La

PATENTED JULY 5r 1904.

A. B. DICK; ROTARY STENCIL PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLIATION FILED MAR.. 5, 1901.

5 SHEETS--SHEBT 3.

N0 MODEL.

Wimesses: Inventor n Attys.

PATBNTED JULY 1904;

A. B. DICK.

ROTARY STENGIL PRINTING MAOHNP APPLICLATION FILED MAR. 5, 1901.

f1 SHBBTSHSHBET 4.

N0 MODEL.

I n Ven tor Witnesses No. 764,275. PATENTED JULY 5 1904.

A. B. DICK. ROTARY STENGIL PRINTING MACHINE.

APFLIUATIOH FILED KAR. 5. 1901.

Witnesses: Inventor I provernents.

UNITED STATES vPatented July 1904.

PATENT OEEIcE.

ALBERT B. DICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. DICK COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ROTARY STENClL-PRINTING MACHINE.

lSPECIFICATIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,275, dated July 5, 1904.

Application filed March 5,1901

,To all whom 'llt may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT B. DICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

` have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rotary Stencil-Printing Machines, of which the following is a description.

M v invention relates to an improved machine adapted for printing from a stencil upon a continuous web which in the machine is severed into separate sheets.

My object generally is to provide a machine for the purpose which shall be simple in construction and effective in use.

i My improved rotary stencil-printing machine comprises a rotary stencil-carrier between which and an impression roller the web is passed, means for furnishing ink to the interior of the stencil-carrier and for distributing the ink within the same, so that it may pass through the foraminated wall of the carrier to ink the stencil, a suitable reel for carrying the roll of paper or web, means for positively rotating the roll so as to feed the web off of the same at the same surface speed as that of the stencil in order that the latter may be relieved of any stress, suitable cutoff mechanism for severing the web into sheets of the desired length, which cut-off mechanism is capable of being adjusted with respect to the stencil so that the stenciled matter will occupy any desired position on the severed sheets, a register or counter arranged to be operated to count the severed sheets, but to be thrown out of operation when the feed of the paper is arrested, and, inally, details of improvement relating to the several parts of the machine by which its construction will be improved and its eiiiciency iinal and ultimate form; but it will be understood that the invention is present in other machines embodying only a part of such im- For example, the means for positively feeding the web from the roll may `tegral part of the stencil-printing machine;

`paper-feed belt in an elevated or inoperative Serial No. 49,822. (No model.)

be omitted and the paper be fed by the engagement of the stencil therewith, although `I consider such an expedient objectionable,

as it would strain the stencil and tend to slightly blur the impression. Also the special mechanism for feeding ink to the interior of the stencil-carrier may be omitted and ink may be supplied thereto by being directly introduced by hand. Furthermore, the cut-off mechanism may be dispensed with as an in-` and a separate cut-oii device may be utilized for the purpose, and, iinally, the counter or register may be omitted when a registration of the number of sheets which have been printed is not necessary.

In order that the invention may be better understood, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which- Y ervoir side; Fig. 2, a similar view from the 4 other side and illustrating in dotted lines the position; Fig. 3, a plan; Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional View; Fig. 5, a transverse section through the stencil-carrier and ink-res ervoir; Fig. 6, a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 a transverse section through the paper-reel and its supports. 8O

In all of the above views corresponding parts are represented by the same numerals of rcference.

The machine is preferably carried on a wooden base l and is provided with a castv iron bed 2, to which are bolted side frames 3 3. Removably carried by the side frames are bearings 4 li, and in said bearings are mounted hollow shafts iand 6, as shown. The hollow shaft 6 carries the two spur-gears 7 8, to which is connected the end disk 9 of the perforated cylindrical stencilcarrierY l0, the other end disk, ll, of said stencil-carrier being secured tothe hollow shaft 5, as shown. Mounted on the hollow shaft 5 is a ratchetwheel l2, with which cooperates a springpressed pawl 13, (see dotted lines, Fig.` 2,) which pawl is carried by an operating-handle 14. By turning the handle 14 in the proper direction the stencil-carrier will be rotated. l/Vhen the movement of the handle is reversed, the pawl rides over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel without moving the stencil-carrier. The stencil-carrier 10 is provided with a recessed pocket `15, in which are located four clamping-strips 16, as is common, two of said strips being employed for holding the pad in position against the perforated surface of the carrier and the other two strips being used for clamping the stencil in place over the pad. Mounted within the stencil-carrier is an inking-roller 17. which is carried in slotted arms 18, said arms being provided with trunnions which project into the end disks 9 and 11, as shown. In operation the slotted arms 18 are locked rigidly in a vertical position to permit the stencil-carrier to move relatively to the inking-roller, .which is effected by engaging a vertical slot in the end of the stationary inking-tube 19 with a vertical pin 20, projecting through a socket in the upper end of one of the arms 18, into which the end of the inking-tube projects, thus positively locking the inking-roller to the tube 19, as shown. (See Fig. 5.) The inking-tube 19 is provided with a series of perforations in its upper wall and extends through the hollow shaft 6, being connected at its outer end to an ink-reservoir 20, fastened in position to one of the bearings 4 by a thumb-screw 21. By removing the thumb-screw the ink-reservoir can be moved horizontally away from the machine, withdrawing the inking-tube through and clear of the shaft 6 for the purpose of cleaning it or for any other purpose. On the inside of the ink-reservoir is cast a small pump-cylin inder 22, in which is a piston 23, operated by a lever 24. lnk from the ink-reservoir is admitted into the pump-cylinder through ports 25 past an admission-valve 26, and ink from the cylinder may be discharged through a port or passage 27 past a discharge-valve 28 into the inking-tube. A plug 29 is screwed into the end of the inking-tube, so as to disclose the valve 28, which can thereby be removed, and a -pin 30 extends through the Walls of the ink-reservoir and pump, respectively, above the admission-valve 26 to prevent the latter from being entirely unseated. The ink-reservoir is provided with a pivoted cover 31, which can be moved to one side when the reservoir is to be filled.

, On each of the side frames 3 is pivoted an angle-lever 32, and the horizontal member of each of said levers is slotted, as shown, for receiving the shaft of an impression-roller 33, which cooperates with the stencil-carrier to force the web into engagement with the stencil. The vertical member of each angle-lever connects with a spring 34, adjustable by means of a thumb-nut 35, and by reason of which construction the impression-roller will engage the web with the stencil with the desired tension. A pair of cams 36 aremount-y ed on a shaft 37 and cooperate with the vertical members of the levers 32, whereby the impression-roller may be moved away from the stencil-carrier when a feed movement is not desired or for any other purpose. A small handle 38 is mounted on one end of the shaft 37 for operating the same.

The continuous web or strip of paper to be printed is wound in the form of a roll 39, cara ried on a reel 40 of any desired form. In the drawings I illustrate a reel composed of a cylindrical barrel with enddisks., -One of said disks is slotted for the reception of a pin 41 of a bearing-disk 42, and the other end disk is provided with an annular groove for the reception'of a rim or projection 43 on a corresponding bearing-disk 44. The bearingdisk 44 turns relatively to a stub-shaft 45, mounted in a suitable bearing on one of the side frames and adapted to be locked in position in said bearing by a thumbscrew 46. The other bearing-disk is fast to a shaft 47, mounted in bearings secured tothe otherside frame and between which bearingsthe shaft carries a friction-Wheel 48, with which engages a friction-band 49, (see Fig. 2,) connected through a spring 50 to an adjustingscrew 51, whereby the tension of the friction-band may be increased or diminished, as may be desired. My object in applying a frictional resistance to the turning of the reel 40 `is to reduce the tendency of overthrow when the machine stops.

By making use of `a paper-carrying reel with a slot in one of its disks for receiving the pin 41 and with a groove in the other of its disks for receiving the projection 43 the reel will be properly carried in the machine and can be turned to permit the web to be unwound olf of the same. Any other construction of reel could not be properly used and could only be employed by changing it IOO to correspond with the peculiar character of f supporting mechanism for the same. Heretofore in all classes of machines wherein rolls of paper are used the supporting-reels therefor have been either mounted on shafts eX- tending wholly or partly through them or upon conical supporting-disks engaging the mouths of the bore of the reel,and with such prior constructions it waspossible to use with the machines many Widely-varying types and forms of reels for'carrying the paper. With my present improvements the reel-supporting mechanism is so formed that a reel of a particular character requires to be used with the machine, and as such a construction possesses utility in practice 1 shall claim the same broadly without reference to the special form of the' supporting mechanism which may be r1`he paper may be fed off of the reel by the engaging pressure between the stencil and the impression-roller; but such an expedient mechanism by which the roll will be turned l cil.

so as to feed the web off of the same at a sur face speed corresponding to that of the sten- The preferred mechanism for this purpose is illustrated. It comprises an endless belt 52, carried by rollers 53 and 54, the

former being mounted in a frame 55, which is pivoted on the shaft of the roller 54, which f shaft is mounted in suitable bearing-boxes carried by the side frames 3.

The belt 52 is made, preferably, of rubber, so as to offer a good frictional engagement with the paper.

The frame 55 is provided with a spring-` pressed latch 56, the toothed lower end of which is arranged to engage with a toothed projection 57, whereby when the frame 55 is elevated, as shown, (see dotted lines, Fig. 2,) the tooth of the latch 56 will engage with the projection 57 to maintain the frame in that position with the feed-belt 52 outvof contact with theroll 39. The feed-belt 52 is driven in any suitable way-as, for example, by a spur-gear 58 on the shaft of the roller 54, which gear engages the spurgear 8 on the stencil-carrier.y

After the web has received the impression from the stencil it is desirable that the web. should be severed into sheets in the machine,

and the machine in the preferred instance.

therefore preferably comprises a proper cutoff mechanism for this purpose. This cutoff mechanism consists of a roller 59, having a smooth cylindrical surface, and a roller 60, having smooth rings 6l at the end equal in diameter .to the roller 59. The roller 59 is provided with a rubber orother elastic buffer 62, forming a recess 63, into which may ex- Preferably I provide my improved rotary stencil-machine with a counter or register ar ranged to effect a count of all the sheets which are being severed and to be thrownout of operation when the feed of the paper is arrested. rlhis counter or register 73 is of any suitable type, a convenient form 'being analogous to `a small compact bicycle-cyclometer, and this is the form illustrated. The counter or register is pivoted at 74 and is provided with a lever 75, arranged to be engaged by a pin 76 Aon the cut-off roller 59, so that at each rotation of the cut-off rollers a registration on the counter will be effected. rlhe counter is connected by a link7 7 with one of the levers 32` as shown, so that when the handle 38 is moved to depress the impression-roller the counter or register will be moved to one side to withdraw the lever7 5 from the path of the pin 76, and hence no registration will be ef. fected during the time that the impression-` roller is withdrawn, and in consequence'when no feed of the paper past the stencil is ef.- fected.

The operation of my improved rotary stencil-printing machine is as follows: A suitable pad is first wound around the stencil-carrier and secured in place by two of the stripsl.

, A stencil is now prepared and secured in place `over the pad by means of the other strips.

A. supply of ink is introduced into the stencilcarrier by operating the lever 24, which ink will be forced through the openings in the inking-tube and will be deposited on the inking-roller 17. As the stencil-carrier rotates with respect to the inking-roller the latter TOO will distribute the ink evenly throughout the i entire interior surface. A suitable reel of paper is properly mounted between the bearing, i

tend the edge of a knife 64, carried on the roller 60. The knife-edge is preferably serrated, as shown, (see Fig. 3,) so as to give a sharp clean cut. At one side of the knife 64 is a buffer 65, and at the other side is the usual springpressed buffer 66, normally forced out! ward by springs 67, the outward movement being limited by hooks 68, as shown. The two cut-olf rollers 59 and 60 are provided within-` termeshing spur-gears 69, and the spur-gear of the roller 59 is driven from the gear 7 on the stencil-carrier by means of an idler 70, which is ad justably mounted on a stationary stub-shaft 7l. The gear 69 with which the idler 70 meshes is of double width of face, so that by moving the idler toward the adjacent side frame 3 it may be disengaged from the gear 7 While still remainingin mesh with the gear 69. The shaft of one of the cut-off rollers-as, for example, the roller 60may be provided with a flywheel or handwheel 72, sothat by disengaging the idler 70 from the gear 7 the hand-wheel may be turned to adjust the relative position of the cut-off knife to the sheet, whereby: the sheets may be so severed as to present the stenciled matter in the proper position thereon.

disks 42 and 44, as explained. Proper tension is imposed on the friction-band 49. The end of the web is introduced between the stencil and the impression-roller 33 and passed between the cut-off rollers 5.9 and 60. The impression `between the cut-off rollers and is cut off into.

sheets of the desired length. The rotation of the stencil-carrier operates the feed-belt 52 at the same surface speed as that of the stencil, andthe friction between the feed-belt and the paper rotates the reel at a corresponding surface speed, which. speed remains constant irrespective of the diameter of the paper-roll.

Having now described my invention, what 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

The handle 14 is ynow turned i l. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencilcarrier adapted to support a stencil, of an inking-tube mounted centrally within the carrier, and means situated outside of the carrier for supplying ink to said tube, substantially as set forth.

Q. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencilcarrier adapted to support a stencil, of an inking-tube mounted centrally within the carrier, means situated outside of the carrier for supplying ink to said tube, and an inkingroller Within the carrier and with respect to which the carrier moves, substantially as set forth.

3. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencilcarrier adapted to support a stencil, of an inking-tube mounted centrally within the carrier for supplying ink to the same, an inkreservoir connected to the tube, and means situated outside of the carrier for feeding' the ink from the reservoir to the tube, substantially as set forth.

4. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated stencil-carrier, of an inking-tube mounted within the carrier for supplying ink to the same, an ink-reservoir connected to the tube, and a puinp mounted within the reservoir for feeding the ink therefrom to the tube, substantially as set forth.

5. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated stencil-carrier, of an inking-tube mounted within the carrier for supplying ink thereto, said tube being withdrawable from the carrier, and an ink-reservoir carried by the tube, substantially as set forth.

6. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated stencil-carrier, of an inking-tube mounted within the carrier for supplying ink thereto, said tube being' withdrawable from the carrier, an ink-reservoir carried by the tube, and a pump in the inkreservoir for supplying ink therefrom to said tube, substantially as set forth.

7. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencilcarrier, of arms within the carrier, an inkingroller carried by said arms, and a non-rotating inking-tube mounted within the carrier and removably locked to one of said arms to prevent the inking-roller from moving with the carrier, substantially as set forth.

8. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencilcarrier, of-arms within the carrier, an inkingroller carried by said arms, a non-rotating inking-tube mounted within the carrier and engaging one of said arms to prevent the inking-roller from moving with the carrier, and an ink-reservoir connected to said tube, substantially as set forth.

9. In a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencil-carrier'and a tubular shaft on which combination with a perforated cylindrical stencil-carrier and a tubular shaft on which the carrier is mounted, of an inking-tube extending through said shaft into the carrier for supplying ink thereto, and an inking-roller mounted within the carrier, substantially as set forth.

11. In a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated cylindrical stencil-carrier and a tubular shaft on which the carrier is mounted, of an inking-tube extending through said shaft into the carrier for supplying' ink thereto, and an inking-roller mounted within the carrier, said inking-roller being prevented from rotating with the carrier by being locked to said inking-tube, substantially as set forth.

12. In a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated rotating stencil-carrier and a hollow shaft on which said carrier is mounted, of a removable inking-tube extending through said shaft into the carrier for supplying ink to the same, and an inkreservoir connected to said tube, substantially as set forth.

13. I n a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a perforated rotating stencil-carrier and a hollow shaft on which said carrier is mounted, of an inking-tube extending through said shaft into the carrier for supplying ink to the same, an ink-reservoir connected to said tube, and a pump in said reservoir for supplying ink from the reservoir to the tube, substantially as set forth.

14. In a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rotary stencil-carrier and an impression-roller coperating therewith, of a pivoted frame, rollers mounted in said frame, an endless feed-belt extending between said rollers, connections between the stencilcarrier and said feed-belt for driving the latter, and means for locking said frame in an elevated position, substantially as set forth.

15. In a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rotary stencil-carrier and an .impression-roller coperating therewith, of two paper-reel-supporting disks, one being provided with a pin for engaging a slot in the paper-reel and the other being provided with a ridge for -engaging an annular recess in the paper-reel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. In arotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rotary stencil-carrier and an impression-roller coperating therewith, of two paper-reelsup porting disks, one being provided with a pin for engaging a slot in the paper-reel and the other being provided with a IOO IIO

IIS

ridge for engaging an annular recess in the paper-reel, and a friction-retardlng device cooperating with one of said supporting-disks,

V substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

17 In a rotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rotarystencil-carrier and an impression-roller cooperating therewith,

a ridge for engaging an annular recess in the paper-reel, a friction-retarding device coperating with one of said supporting-disks, and the other of said supporting-disks being' longitudinally movable so as to be adjusted into engagement with the paper-reel, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

18. In alotary stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rotary stencil-carrier and an impression-roller cooperating therewith, of a pair of cut-off rollers geared together, and an idler between the stencil-carrier and one of said rollers, said idler being capable of movement out of mesh with the gear on the stencil-carrier but retaining its mesh with the gear 4on the cut-olf roller to permit a rela; tive adjustment of the cut-off rollers with respect to the stencil-carrier, substantially as set forth.

19. In a stencil-printing machine, the combinaticn with a rigid cylindrical stencil-carrier, of a perforated inking-tube therein, and

means for forcibly supplying and feeding ink through said tube to the carrier.

20. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rigid cylindrical stencil-carrier, of a centrally-arranged perforated inking-tube therein, and means for forcibly supplying and feeding ink through said tube to the carrier. l

21. In astencil-printing machine, the combination with a hollow stencil-carrier, of a perforated inking-tube therein, and means for forcibly supplying and feeding ink through said tube to the carrier.

22. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a hollow stencil-carrier, of a cen-4 trally-arranged perforated inking-tube therein, and means for forcibly supplying and feeding ink through said tube to the carrier.

23. In a stencil-printing machine, the combination with a rotary perforated stencil-can rier, of an inking-tube mounted centrally within the carrier and forming an axis upon which the carrier rotates, and means situated outside of the carrier for supplying ink to` said tube, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 28th day of February, 1901.

ALBERT B. DICK.

Witnesses:

W. G. ARNOLD, Gmo. E. BENDER. 

